1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an arrangement for and a method of covering a shade of an electrical lamp with a drape and, more particularly, to substituting one decorative drape for another to create a desired, decorative appearance for the lamp.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lampshades are made of many different materials supported by a frame and, in the case of a fabric lampshade, the fabric is stretched about a metal frame that can be made in all different shapes and sizes, including cylindrical, conical, box-like and like geometrical configurations. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 524,825 and 548,373. The fabric may be neutral in color to match any room decor, or may be patterned and colored to coordinate the appearance of the lampshade with other room furnishings. Over time, the lampshade may become discolored or outdated so that replacement is desirable.
Although purchasing a new lampshade is a prevalent option, the art contains examples of kits or covers that permit a user to change the appearance of an existing lampshade. Such removable covers are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,731,715, 5,662,412 and 5,746,506 in which elastic bands, drawstrings and Velcro.TM.-type fasteners are used to tightly secure at least part of the cover to the existing lampshade material. The areas of contact between the cover and the lampshade material become dark when the bulb is turned on, and create undesirable shadows that are objectionable for a lampshade whose purpose is to uniformly diffuse the light. Such shadow effects have not led to the widespread adoption of the known lampshade covers.